The　air　is　filled　with　some　unknown　perfume；
  The　congregation　of　the　dead　make　room
  For　thee　to　pass；　the　votive　tapers　shine；
  Like　rooks　that　haunt　Ravenna's　groves　of　pine；
  The　hovering　echoes　fly　from　tomb　to　tomb。
  From　the　confessionals　I　hear　arise
  Rehearsals　of　forgotten　tragedies；
  And　lamentations　from　the　crypts　below
  And　then　a　voice　celestial　that　begins
  With　the　pathetic　words；　〃Although　your　sins
  As　scarlet　be；〃　and　ends　with　〃as　the　snow。〃
  IV
  With　snow…white　veil；　and　garments　as　of　flame；
  She　stands　before　thee；　who　so　long　ago
  Filled　thy　young　heart　with　passion　and　the　woe
  From　which　thy　song　in　all　its　splendors　came；
  And　while　with　stern　rebuke　she　speaks　thy　name；
  The　ice　about　thy　heart　melts　as　the　snow
  On　mountain　heights；　and　in　swift　overflow
  Comes　gushing　from　thy　lips　in　sobs　of　shame。
  Thou　makest　full　confession；　and　a　gleam
  As　of　the　dawn　on　some　dark　forest　cast；
  Seems　on　thy　lifted　forehead　to　increase；
  Lethe　and　Eunoethe　remembered　dream
  And　the　forgotten　sorrowbring　at　last
  That　perfect　pardon　which　is　perfect　peace。
  V
  I　Lift　mine　eyes；　and　all　the　windows　blaze
  With　forms　of　saints　and　holy　men　who　died；
  Here　martyred　and　hereafter　glorified；
  And　the　great　Rose　upon　its　leaves　displays
  Christ's　Triumph；　and　the　angelic　roundelays；
  With　splendor　upon　splendor　multiplied；
  And　Beatrice　again　at　Dante's　side
  No　more　rebukes；　but　smiles　her　words　of　praise。
  And　then　the　organ　sounds；　and　unseen　choirs
  Sing　the　old　Latin　hymns　of　peace　and　love
  And　benedictions　of　the　Holy　Ghost；
  And　the　melodious　bells　among　the　spires
  O'er　all　the　house…tops　and　through　heaven　above
  Proclaim　the　elevation　of　the　Host！
  VI
  O　star　of　morning　and　of　liberty！
  O　bringer　of　the　light；　whose　splendor　shines
  Above　the　darkness　of　the　Apennines；
  Forerunner　of　the　day　that　is　to　be！
  The　voices　of　the　city　and　the　sea；
  The　voices　of　the　mountains　and　the　pines；
  Repeat　thy　song；　till　the　familiar　lines
  Are　footpaths　for　the　thought　of　Italy！
  Thy　fame　is　blown　abroad　from　all　the　heights；
  Through　all　the　nations；　and　a　sound　is　heard；
  As　of　a　mighty　wind；　and　men　devout；
  Strangers　of　Rome；　and　the　new　proselytes；
  In　their　own　language　hear　thy　wondrous　word；
  And　many　are　amazed　and　many　doubt。
  End
  The　Divine　Comedy
  translated　by　Henry　Wadsworth　Longfellow
  PURGATORIO
  Purgatorio：　Canto　I
  To　run　o'er　better　waters　hoists　its　sail
  The　little　vessel　of　my　genius　now；
  That　leaves　behind　itself　a　sea　so　cruel；
  And　of　that　second　kingdom　will　I　sing
  Wherein　the　human　spirit　doth　purge　itself；
  And　to　ascend　to　heaven　becometh　worthy。
  But　let　dead　Poesy　here　rise　again；
  O　holy　Muses；　since　that　I　am　yours；
  And　here　Calliope　somewhat　ascend；
  My　song　accompanying　with　that　sound；
  Of　which　the　miserable　magpies　felt
  The　blow　so　great；　that　they　despaired　of　pardon。
  Sweet　colour　of　the　oriental　sapphire；
  That　was　upgathered　in　the　cloudless　aspect
  Of　the　pure　air；　as　far　as　the　first　circle；
  Unto　mine　eyes　did　recommence　delight
  Soon　as　I　issued　forth　from　the　dead　air；
  Which　had　with　sadness　filled　mine　eyes　and　breast。
  The　beauteous　planet；　that　to　love　incites；
  Was　making　all　the　orient　to　laugh；
  Veiling　the　Fishes　that　were　in　her　escort。
  To　the　right　hand　I　turned；　and　fixed　my　mind
  Upon　the　other　pole；　and　saw　four　stars
  Ne'er　seen　before　save　by　the　primal　people。
  Rejoicing　in　their　flamelets　seemed　the　heaven。
  O　thou　septentrional　and　widowed　site；
  Because　thou　art　deprived　of　seeing　these！
  When　from　regarding　them　I　had　withdrawn；
  Turning　a　little　to　the　other　pole；
  There　where　the　Wain　had　disappeared　already；
  I　saw　beside　me　an　old　man　alone；
  Worthy　of　so　much　reverence　in　his　look；
  That　more　owes　not　to　father　any　son。
  A　long　beard　and　with　white　hair　intermingled
  He　wore；　in　semblance　like　unto　the　tresses；
  Of　which　a　double　list　fell　on　his　breast。
  The　rays　of　the　four　consecrated　stars
  Did　so　adorn　his　countenance　with　light；
  That　him　I　saw　as　were　the　sun　before　him。
  〃Who　are　you？　ye　who；　counter　the　blind　river；
  Have　fled　away　from　the　eternal　prison？〃
  Moving　those　venerable　plumes；　he　said：
  〃Who　guided　you？　or　who　has　been　your　lamp
  In　issuing　forth　out　of　the　night　profound；
  That　ever　black　makes　the　infernal　valley？
  The　laws　of　the　abyss；　are　they　thus　broken？
  Or　is　there　changed　in　heaven　some　council　new；
  That　being　damned　ye　come　unto　my　crags？〃
  Then　did　my　Leader　lay　his　grasp　upon　me；
  And　with　his　words；　and　with　his　hands　and　signs；
  Reverent　he　made　in　me　my　knees　and　brow；
  Then　answered　him：　〃I　came　not　of　myself；
  A　Lady　from　Heaven　descended；　at　whose　prayers
  I　aided　this　one　with　my　company。
  But　since　it　is　thy　will　more　be　unfolded
  Of　our　condition；　how　it　truly　is；
  Mine　cannot　be　that　this　should　be　denied　thee。
  This　one　has　never　his　last　evening　seen；
  But　by　his　folly　was　so　near　to　it
  That　very　little　time　was　there　to　turn。
  As　I　have　said；　I　unto　him　was　sent
  To　rescue　him；　and　other　way　was　none
  Than　this　to　which　I　have　myself　betaken。
  I've　shown　him　all　the　people　of　perdition；
  And　now　those　spirits　I　intend　to　show
  Who　purge　themselves　beneath　thy　guardianship。
  How　I　have　brought　him　would　be　long　to　tell　thee。
  Virtue　descendeth　from　on　high　that　aids　me
  To　lead　him　to　behold　thee　and　to　hear　thee。
  Now　may　it　please　thee　to　vouchsafe　his　coming；
  He　seeketh　Liberty；　which　is　so　dear；
  As　knoweth　he　who　life　for　her　refuses。
  Thou　know'st　it；　since；　for　her；　to　thee　not　bitter
  Was　death　in　Utica；　where　thou　didst　leave
  The　vesture；　that　will　shine　so；　the　great　day。
  By　us　the　eternal　edicts　are　not　broken；
  Since　this　one　lives；　and　Minos　binds　not　me；
  But　of　that　circle　I；　where　are　the　chaste
  Eyes　of　thy　Marcia；　who　in　looks　still　prays　thee；
  O　holy　breast；　to　hold　her　as　thine　own；
  For　her　love；　then；　incline　thyself　to　us。
  Permit　us　through　thy　sevenfold　realm　to　go；
  I　will　take　back　this　grace　from　thee　to　her；
  If　to　be　mentioned　there　below　thou　deignest。〃
  〃Marcia　so　pleasing　was　unto　mine　eyes
  While　I　was　on　the　other　side；〃　then　said　he；
  〃That　every　grace　she　wished　of　me　I　granted；
  Now　that　she　dwells　beyond　the　evil　river；
  She　can　no　longer　move　me；　by　that　law
  Which；　when　I　issued　forth　from　there；　was　made。
  But　if　a　Lady　of　Heaven　do　move　and　rule　thee；
  As　thou　dost　say；　no　flattery　is　needful；
  Let　it　suffice　thee　that　for　her　thou　ask　me。
  Go；　then；　and　see　thou　gird　this　one　about
  With　a　smooth　rush；　and　that　thou　wash　his　face；
  So　that　thou　cleanse　away　all　stain　therefrom；
  For　'twere　not　fitting　that　the　eye　o'ercast
  By　any　mist　should　go　before　the　first
  Angel；　who　is　of　those　of　Paradise。
  This　little　island　round　about　its　base
  Below　there；　yonder；　where　the　billow　beats　it；
  Doth　rushes　bear　upon　its　washy　ooze；
  No　other　plant　that　putteth　forth　the　leaf；
  Or　that　doth　indurate；　can　there　have　life；
  Because　it　yieldeth　not　unto　the　shocks。
  Thereafter　be　not　this　way　your　return；
  The　sun；　which　now　is　rising；　will　direct　you
  To　take　the　mount　by　easier　ascent。〃
  With　this　he　vanished；　and　I　raised　me　up
  Without　a　word；　and　wholly　drew　myself
  Unto　my　Guide；　and　turned　mine　eyes　to　him。
  And　he　began：　〃Son；　follow　thou　my　steps；
  Let　us　turn　back；　for　on　this　side　declines
  The　plain　unto　its　lower　boundaries。〃
  The　dawn　was　vanquishing　the　matin　hour
  Which　fled　before　it；　so　that　from　afar
  I　recognised　the　trembling　of　the　sea。
  Along　the　solitary　plain　we　went
  As　one　who　unto　the　lost　road　returns；
  And　till　he　finds　it　seems　to　go　in　vain。
  As　soon　as　we　were　come　to　where　the　dew
  Fights　with　the　sun；　and；　being　in　a　part
  Where　shadow　falls；　little　evaporates；
  Both　of　his　hands　upon　the　grass　outspread
  In　gentle　manner　did　my　Master　place；
  Whence　I；　who　of　his　action　was　aware；
  Extended　unto　him　my　tearful　cheeks；
  There　did　he　make　in　me　uncovered　wholly
  That　hue　which　Hell　had　covered　up　in　me。
  Then　came　we　down　upon　the　desert　shore
  Which　never　yet　saw　navigate　its　waters
  Any　that　afterward　had　known　return。
  There　he　begirt　me　as　the　other　pleased；
  O　marvellous！　for　even　as　he　culled
  The　humble　plant；　such　it　sprang　up　again
  Suddenly　there　where　he　uprooted　it。
  Purgatorio：　Canto　II
  Already　had　the　sun　the　horizon　reached
  Whose　circle　of　meridian　covers　o'er
  Jerusalem　with　its　most　lofty　point；
  And　night　that　opposite　to　him　revolves
  Was　issuing　forth　from　Ganges　with　the　Scales
  That　fall　from　out　her　hand　when　she　exceedeth；
  So　that　the　white　and　the　vermilion　cheeks
  Of　beautiful　Aurora；　where　I　was；
  By　too　great　age　were　changing　into　orange。
  We　still　were　on　the　border　of　the　sea；
  Like　people　who　are　thinking　of　their　road；
  Who　go　in　heart　and　with　the　body　stay；
  And　lo！　as　when；　upon　the　approach　of　morning；
  Through　the　gross　vapours　Mars　grows　fiery　red
  Down　in　the　West　upon　the